Aspiring candidates of the MCA polls should not politicise the party’s ownership of shares in Nanyang Press Holdings Bhd, urged central committee member Leong Tang Chong.

In a press statement today, Leong said the purchase of Nanyang shares in 2001 was endorsed by the MCA presidential council, central committee and also put to a vote at an extraordinary general meeting.

mca "Fifty-three percent of the delegates (at the EGM) gave their approval," said Leong, who is also MCA legal bureau chairperson and board member of Huaren Holdings Sdn Bhd, MCA’s investment arm which was involved in the Nanyang share purchase.

"The party voted on the proposal through a democratic process and, at no time was there a mastermind behind the Nanyang acquisition.

"It is not fair to accuse anyone or any leader now for what happened because the present leadership had to take on whatever responsibility or burden of the party’s decision at that time," he said.

donald lim Leong was referring to a Malaysiakini report which quoted MCA deputy president hopeful Donald Lim (left), as saying that the Nanyang shares ought to be divested.

Lim also claimed that outgoing party president Ong Ka Ting was the "mastermind" behind the purchase and hinted that he (Ong) played "chief editor" of all Chinese dailies in the country.

Lim claimed that he disagreed with the decision to purchase the shares at the time but kept his views on the matter private.

Ong helped clear MCA debts

Defending Ong, Leong said after the former became MCA president in May 2003, the party managed to pay off all outstanding loans by mid-2008.

ong ka ting 02 "Today, I am proud to say that MCA does not have any outstanding loans and this is only possible through the wisdom and guidance of the present leadership. The party has since increased its assets," he said adding that the party also purchased the remaining 20 percent of shares in Wisma MCA, thereby regaining full ownership of the building.

Barely three years after acquiring the Nanyang shares, MCA sold 21.02 percent of its controlling 44.4 percent stake in the company to Ezywood Options Sdn Bhd, linked to Sarawakian media and timber tycoon Tiong Hiew King.

Nanyang Press Holdings Bhd publishes Chinese daily Nanyang Daily and the top-selling China Press. The company also has a large stable of magazines in various languages.